The evolution of climate tolerance in conifer-feeding aphids in relation to their host's climatic niche.

ABSTRACT: Climate adaptation has major consequences in the evolution and ecology of all living organisms. Though phytophagous insects are an important component of Earth's biodiversity, there are few studies investigating the evolution of their climatic preferences. This lack of research is probably because their evolutionary ecology is thought to be primarily driven by their interactions with their host plants. Here, we use a robust phylogenetic framework and species-level distribution data for the conifer-feeding aphid genus Cinara to investigate the role of climatic adaptation in the diversity and distribution patterns of these host-specialized insects. Insect climate niches were reconstructed at a macroevolutionary scale, highlighting that climate niche tolerance is evolutionarily labile,

SUBMITTER: Arnal P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6822038 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature